2020 Spring March 31 Tuesday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

50 degrees this morning,  96% humidity, Wind 10 mph

Miserable day yesterday,  rain started early afternoon and got colder and continued rain.  The sun never really came out.  Towards evening, it seemed to really be cold with the rain 

Fortunately, started walking right before the rain started.  I actually walked a different route today so I could head back if it started raining!   

Walk yesterday, 26:01 minutes, pace was 59 seconds slower than  my goal.  In general, my pace is getting better.  

While I like my regular walking route, it was interesting to walk a new route.

Another “zoom” meeting with Toastmasters today. It will give us all experience on tele-meetings, but it won’t replace toastmasters meetings as such.  

It seems that most of the routine Doctor appointments will be tele medicine for the duration of the virus.  I have a feeling it will be the a permanent arrangement, at least for “minor” and routine visits. 

I expect we will see  lot of changes in our routines.  I’m not sure if a lot of businesses, including restaurants and other retail are going to make it.

The incompetence and juvenile antics of the lying coward lunatic is a  fiasco.  The lunatic has probably cost the lives of thousands of Americans.  

I don’t understand how the criminal  lying coward lunatic  can secretly send millions of dollars of medical protective equipment secretly to China while lying about the potential virus  impact to the US.

Is this criminal allowed to just steal anything he wants, including stealing, lying cheating, shoveling money to his donors, lobbyists and big business without any consequences?  

Worse is his insecure lying personal attacks on anyone.  This lunatic is absolutely nuts and the cowering cowards let him get away with it.  

It is hard to believe he has turned a crisis into a series of  “free”  political rallies  and is more concerned about his tv ratings than the number of people his incompetence has killed or hospitalized. “100,000” people dead should never be “acceptable”.  

We are continuing our “shelter in place” routine.  We talked with someone tonight who had not been outside for 12 days!  We go out and walk and to pick up medicine,  groceries and takeout meals  occasionally but that is about it.

That’s it for now, Tuesday, March 31, 2020

#Resist

2020 Spring March 30 Monday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

54 degrees this morning  64% humidity

Yesterday was coolish all day, but the wind wasn’t high, so it was bearable.  

Weights, (sit-ups, barbells, bench press) yesterday morning.  

Walk: 23:29  minutes, pace was 51 seconds  slower than my goal,  I’m not trying to set any records right now, I’m just trying to maintain my exercise.  

Follow-up walk, 15:18 minutes,.j

Supposed to be rain today, so I’m glad we walked yesterday. Depends on how long and when it rains.  

We went “out” for breakfast this morning.  What that means in our  current situation is we go out and get take out and take it back home, nuke it in the microwave for a bit and then eat it at home!

It changes the routine a bit!

Today is the start of the third week of working only in my home office.  It seems like a lot longer than two weeks of being advised to “shelter in place” by working from home and leaving home only for essential reasons.  

Tried to start “tossing” nonessential stuff or at leas organizing it.  I thought even a small start would be better than nothing at all.

As usual, any time I do that it makes me realize how difficult it is to toss even the smallest things.  

I think all my life I have had visions of using the “stuff” I kept and now I realize I probably will never use it. I may as well toss it or donate it rather than keep assuming the psychological cost of owning it.  

The problem is, it is items that are “nice to have if I need them," but realistically I probably won’t use them.  I can tell myself that, but it I still hard to actually throw it in the donation box, recycling or trash.

I probably have literally thousands of business cards.  At some point in my life I may find a use for them, but I doubt it!  So they all need to go to the recycling.  Realistically I couldn’t look through all of them even if I had the time to look through them and probably 50% of them are no longer in business or valid , etc.

I have all kinds of “free” items I picked up at conferences, music festivals, trips , etc., as well as title souvenirs.   I am just amazed at how much I have accumulated of that kind of stuff.  I’m sure each time I picked something up, I thought of how small it was and that I was provably going use it or toss it soon.  

That was as long as 46 years ago.  Maybe they have some value as antiques or some historical value! 

That’s it for now, Monday, March 30, 2020.

#Resst

2020 Spring March 29 Sunday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

44 degrees this morning 75% humidity 

Windy (22 mph) day yesterday, 60’s degrees, making for a miserable day. 

Didn’t take a walk due to the wind.

Weights morning (sit-ups, barbells, bench press).

Sign of the times, went to go to Starbucks yesterday.  While as I mentioned yesterday we have five Starbucks within a 10 minute drive, the five I was thinking of were closed, there is one I forgot that is about 10 minutes away (making six) and it was the only one open (drive thru only).

A very long drive thru line, but it went fast as they say!

Hard to believe two weeks ago, we went to our fitness club on Saturday, ate breakfast out, and Sunday morning ate breakfast out.  

Everything changed fast, and now it is kind of a “temporary normal”although we don’t know when or if it will be over.  No matter what, I am sure the “old normal” is no more, or at least a long in the future.  

Not that I think the stores, restaurants , etc., won’t reopen sometime in the near future (with “near” an undecided value, so to speak).   Our general cultural actions and beliefs will take a drastic change.

Even now, as I watch something on tv , etc., and see them shaking hands, hugging , etc., I kind of fidget a little, thinking,  “watch it”!  

Our daily lives have certainly changed in both small and big ways.  

I don’t know if we will order food on-line for delivery (or pickup) when it is safe to shop in stores or not.  I know I won’t miss  getting “take out’ at restaurants or miss “picking up” food at  restaurants.

I think the number of unemployed will be astounding and it probably will take longer than expected to get everyone employed again.  It could be a major change in the type of employment , etc. 

Of course the first thing the pathetic lying coward lunatic does is try to make it so he can rip off billions of dollars with the “Virus Aid” package and dare the cowering cowards to stop him.  I’m sure he will shovel billions to his donors, lobbyists and big businesses, and his family business the same as the “tax cut” benefited. 

I can’t believe there has’t been more push back on how he is playing favorites on sending medical devices and demanding they kow tow to this insecure pathetic crook. 

The weekend is half over.  I  have come to enjoy the weekends, especially since I have been working in the office five days per week. Not that I mind it (it really doesn’t matter), it is just that it is five days straight of the same thing. 

It seems we spend as much time verifying we are working as we do working!  While I work remotely all the time, I think they are insecure about the “new” teleworkers, although we have always spent more time verifying we are working than anyone would ever waste. Nature of the organization I guess.

That’s it for now, Sunday, March 29, 2020.

#Resist

2020 Spring March 28 Saturday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Jourmey_20

#Spring_of_20

70 degrees this morning,  87% humidity Wind 17 mph

Sit ups, barbells, bench press

Wonderful day yesterday (mid 80’s) until it rained and a really short hail storm early afternoon.  I was a very strange storm.  

Still it stayed from most of the day.  

Walk yesterday:  23:22 minutes, Pace was 1:09 above my goal.  Sometimes the goal seems far away!

Second walk was 13:47 minutes, I call it my “cool down” walk!

Shocked to get a tax paid campaign post card for the lying criminal lunatic.  Do these criminals have no shames at all?  Who allows this taxpayer ripoff?  That is nothing but campaign literature paid by the taxpayer.

Went to our usual Starbucks today and it was “temporarily closed”.  I assume it had a virus and decided to disinfect the building, although I don’t know.  Of course, it is only open for drive thru anyway, but they really had strong standards (using gloves , etc.).  

Fortunately, we have about five Starbucks within a ten minute drive, so we figure the drive thru will be open on some of them.  (This doesn’t include the one at Target , etc.)

I must be making a lot of phone calls for my job.  The other day someone told my number came up as a “spam” call!  

Now I wonder about the calls we get that are labeled “spam”.

Somehow the series “Blacklist” suddenly stopped on Netflix/Prime.  I still don’t know why it quit in the middle of the season. The middle of the 6th Season showed up on regular tv but I wanted to see the first 10 episodes  first.

For may lunch hour and coffee shop breaks, since I lost Blacklist, I I watched a rather dreadful movie, and started to watch “Longmire” which I really like.   I don’t really watch anything during my lunch hour like I used to when I was in the field, so I have started watching at various times.  

Of course, we also can’t sit in Starbucks any more either.  I saw “Longmire” described as a “western” which surprised me.  It is hardy a “Western," whatever that is.

We are quickly learning the in’s and out’s of on-line ordering and delivery. So far it has meant a lot of substitutes, but they are usually pretty good about it.  Except the bottle of water I got instead of a case of water!

We drive the cars very rarely now, it is really strange.  We go to pick up medicine and very occasionally go to eat at place where they bring the food out.  

Life certainly has changed in the past two weeks.  No restaurants, no fitness center, no field days , etc.

Glad the weekend is here. In fact April 1 is almost here, in one of the strangest years I expect to ever see, kind of like living in a disaster novel or movie.  I keep thinking I might wake up and realize it is a nightmare.

But I won’t.

That’s it for now, Saturday, March 28, 2020.

#Resist

2020 Spring March 27 Friday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

71 degrees this morning, 71% humidity, wind 12 mph

Spring 2020!  Somehow it doesn’t seem as good as I expected during the Winter due to the virus, although at least it is here.  

Wonderful day yesterday, high of 97 degrees, no wind, sunny!  Couldn’t have been better.  Today’s forecast is around 85 degrees, although it cools off this weekend and may rain.

Turned on the air conditioner yesterday.   I don’t know if that is the earliest we have turned it on, but it is definitely early.  

Weights yesterday (sit ups, barbells and bench press)

 Walk 23:21 minutes  pace was only 24 seconds  over my goal.  Feels good to walk outside in warm weather.  

Second walk of 15:09 minutes, just kind of a cool down walk.

Wonderful to have weather like this again, I put on my shorts and t-shirts and scandals and thoroughly enjoyed the day, except I was working in my office so my outside time was limited.   

Now, I am always working in my office, which means in the good weather I wish I was out, in the bad weather I’m glad I’m in!

We actually met an older lady on our short walk today, who volunteered my nickname for the lying coward lunatic (she volunteered he was a “lunatic," we agreed)!

She said she just wanted to live long enough to vote  him out of office!  A lot of people feel that way, although I’m sure the Russians, and his cowering cowards will try to steal the election again.

I am really disgusted at how the lying coward lunatic has been allowed to turn the virus crisis into a series of political campaign rallies where he squeals his corrupt lies.  I don’t understand why the news media wastes time carrying it.  I’m sure the so called “fox news” will always carry his political rallies and giving him an outlet for his squealing his lies and juvenile vicious personal attacks. 

The kow towing by Pence and the others is actually sickening to watch. They must not have any pride at all.   I have to wonder how they can demean themselves and lie like that and still live with themselves.  

I was surprised to learn that an estimated 5% of United States population  doesn’t have water, either because they can’t pay for the water service or they can’t afford to fix leaks at the house they live in.  

Five percent is a lot more than I thought it would be.  Maybe the $1200 per person they get can be used to get water service.  Not having running water in today’s environment is especially scary.  

I also have to wonder about sanitation, since if they don’ have water they don’t have any sanitation facilities either, or at least decent ones.  

That’s it for now, Friday, March 27, 2020.

#Resist 

2020 Spring March 26 Thursday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

69 degrees this morning, 67% humidity Wind 16 mph

Yesterday was a wonderful “Spring” day high of 86 degrees, some wind, but not too bad.  Supposed to be in the 90’s today.  

Weights this morning, sit-ups, bar-bells, and bench press.  

Walked 23:17 minutes, pace was 1:14  minutes higher the goal.The wind probably affected me a little bit, but I enjoyed it. 

Listening to a short Audible book on my walks.  It was an Audible “original:” “Pont Neuf” by Max Bryd, about WW II one of two free ones I get each month. 

It has been a lot more interesting than I expected. It is about a WWII war correspondent, with other characters. It has Hemingway in it, Walter Cronkite, Hemingway , etc.  Actually one of the main characters is Hemingway’s  wife. 

It is an excellent book, realistic battle scenes as well as well-told stories. 

Two stories I heard on the book will stick with me. 

One was (remember WW II  was total war), a sentry saw 4 soldiers in a jeep.  However Americans NEVER have 4 soldiers (always no more than 3), so he shot and kill them and they found they were German solders who had stolen American uniforms and a jeep and were trying tin infiltrate the base.

The next story was a American Solder who came to buy cigarettes and tried to pay with American money.  He was instantly killed, They knew he wasn’t an American Solider since American Soldiers didn’t use American  money, they used military scrip they were paid with.

I think what struck me was that with all of their planning, what undid the plan in both cases was one little mistake where they “assumed” something and it (thank goodness, although this is fiction) caused their plan to fail.  

I know the Military took security seriously in WWII because I had an Uncle that almost shot a fellow solider who forgot the password, except he recognized his voice.  (This was something I heard from my Mom.)

Back to the current virus controls, if this is the “new normal” I don’t want it to be “normal”.

I realize this is a temporary situation, but I wonder what the “new normal” will be like after the current situation is over.  I have to feel it will be “when” not “if”.  

I do know if I I never  see the lying coward lunatic again, squealing his lies and begging to be butt licked, it will be too soon.  I literally feel sick when I see this criminal conducting his free “political rallies” disguised as press conferences  and the gross lies and criminal behavior.

I read a story that he doesn’t care if millions die, he just wants the governors and mayors to kiss his ass and tell them how great he is before he will send medical supplies.

This is one sick lunatic, who is destroying American and the world with his despicable lies and criminal behavior.  

That’s it for now, Thursday, March 26, 2i020.  

#Resist

2020 Spring March 25 Wednesday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

 51 degrees this morning, 90% humidity

Developed into a wonderful day yesterday.  Started off with rain overnight, and cloudy part of the day, but then turned into sunshine and high of around 69 degrees.

Supposed to be up to 83 degrees today, although it may be windy. 

Sit-ups, barbells and the bench press yesterday morning.

Also walked 23:12 minutes, pace was 1 minute 9 seconds slower  than my goal.  Still no coughing  thank goodness.  

I used to walk quite a bid on my “field days," so think it is important  to keep walking and is important to be outside when we spend a lot of time in the house.

I hope to start my bike riding soon, I am thinking of getting a device where I can make my bicycle a stationary bike at home.  

It really feels good to be back on a regular exercise regime (although I miss swimming), and even better not to be coughing.

Gasoline was $1.18 today.  As I noted previously, it doesn’t really matter because we drive so little now, so I assume the low demand and high supply will keep the price lower than we have seen for some time.

As I briefly mentioned yesterday, we ordered from Whole Foods for the first time yesterday and today, we picked up groceries with a “hands free” delivery person who actually came out to our car and, loaded the items in the car.  

It made me feel rather lazy, but I think of the alternative if I get the virus, it doesn’t concern me at all.

Thinking some more about the “Zoom” meeting last night of Toastmasters.  I really don’t know how many meetings couldn’t be run on “Zoom” or similar technology.  Of course, it’s been around for a long time, but it hasn’t been a life or death decision to attend a meeting before!

I far prefer a personal meeting for many meetings and certainly for conferences, but I can see where a to of meetings could easily be held remotely with Zoom.

Starting to hear more and more about “letting the elderly die since they are unproductive and expensive to maintain”.  

Of course, if the hospitals are overwhelmed, they will need to make choices, it  is hard to believe it could happen here.  

A much different world that I imagined then when I was a child, that is for sure.  

That’s it for now, Wednesday, March 25, 2020

#Resist

2020 Spring March 24 Tuesday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

 60 degrees this morning, 98% humidity, Wind 13 mph

Kind of a miserable day yesterday, in spite of a high of 64 degrees.  The sun never really came out.  

Weights, (sit-ups, barbells, bench press)  Although I don’t do any fancy exercises, I do some basics I have been doing almost 30 years.  

I actually started lifting weights t a gym near where I was working around 1989 or so.  I actually go into it fairly heavy for a while, but then went back to a “maintenance” routine which I have continued to this day at various levels.  

I have always owned some weights and about 4 years ago bought a quality weight set which helps me maintain my weight workouts. 

Walk yesterday, 22:57 minutes, pace was again 55 seconds slower the my goal.  

Since I am working only from my home office and “staying in place” for the most part, I feel it is important for me to continue my outdoor walk, hopefully keep increasing my distance and bettering my pace.  

Previously, I got quite a bit of walking on my “field days” anyway, plus the weekends, so it its important that I continue my daily exercise.  

I wouldn’t doubt a bit but what it helps counteract ay psychological effects.

Toastmasters meeting last night was a “Zoom”  meeting, really the only way we can meet.  It was good to see everyone, even over the computer!

I wasn’t really familiar with “Zoom” before, it is a nice program, especially during this time.  

It was very interesting to see how it worked, and I am sure I only saw some of the very minor aspects of it.

Starting to see comments about how “the people who are going to die by the virus are just the unproductive and expensive ones to care for anyway” and similar comments.  

One of the lunatics boot lickers was even saying “grandparents ought to be willing to die so their grandchildren can continue their standard of living” , etc.  

I really expect them to start saying people over a certain age, the disabled (anyone but them)  should be killed or let them die from the virus as “unproductive and expensive to maintain”.  

Of course, that isn’t true anyway, unfortunately it is hitting younger people also.  

In a crisis both the true leaders and the true nuts some out.  

Experienced our first “home delivery” of food last night from Whole Foods.  Not bad overall. For some ungodly they substituted a  BOTTLE of water for a CASE of water. Not sure how that came about, but overall ok. 

That’s it for now, Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

#Resist

2020 Spring March 23 Monday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights'

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

 53 degrees this morning  94% humidity

Yesterday was rainy in the morning, stopped raining, but the sun never came out.  Didn’t matter too much as I was just out for my walk.  

Usual routine we have followed since last weekend, try to avoid any chance of getting the virus.  We actually try to use common sense, along with extra vigilance.  I got a hair cut Saturday (advised before hand I would be the only customer).  

I don’t think I will take that chance again.  We aren’t even going to the grocery store if we can avoid it.  Much as I hate drive thurs',' that is what we try to go through for anything.  I have been using it to pick up medicine fo some time, as long as there are no cars in the drive through.  

I actually went through a Starbucks drive thru for the first time ever Saturday morning.  A long line, but it went fast. 

Weights, (sit-ups, barbells, bench press) this morning.  

Walk:  22:57 minutes, pace was 55 seconds longer than my goal, my best since I started back.   Walking a little longer each day, although I will probably stay at this distance for several days. 

I did get gas Saturday, Regular was $1.31 per gallon, probably less today.  Not necessarily good in this state where oil and gas are such a huge part of the economy.  

Also, since we hardly drive anyplace, and I don’t drive for work right now, it really doesn’t do us much good!

Sometimes I find it hard to believe how politicians suck up to their donors, lobbyists and the “big business interests” .  Obviously the at least 2 trillion dollar “bailout” bill was mainly directed at throwing money at lobbyists, donors and big business again, allowing the huge raises for executive and high “stock buybacks” with tax money, with a dollop for small business and individuals to make it look good. 

In this state, it really shows  Just by accident, I noted that the legislature here is going to pass a bill kicking the average citizen in the teeth again by vastly restricting unemployment benefits.

Hard to believe, the oil and gas companies were slowing anyway, now with the virus throwing a lot of low wage workers out of jobs, the legislature, instead of assisting them, kicks them in the teeth, and tries to lower the unemployment taxes for their donors, lobbyists and big business.  

The Legislature is one of the highest paid part-time Legislatures’ in the nation (in addition to all the free meals , etc., that Lobbyists give them) as well as huge “per deems” and other huge benefits, but they continue to kick the average citizen in the teeth. 

What is really strange is that I really hadn’t heard about it anyplace except in the local paper (which usually acts like al the local state senators and representatives can’t do any wrong).  

I am just amazed that something like this could just slide through with no other comments, especially in the unemployment environment we are in now.  

Monday, start of another workweek.  Definitely will be different as I continue to work only from the office.  As I have noted before there are good sides and bad sides. Whatever, what is, is.

That’s it for now, Monday, March 23, 2020.

#Resist